This Open-World of Infinite Choices
by XiroPaine
Summary: The adventures of six unlikely broken people who find more than just companionship within each others company. There will be twists and turns, horror and humor, and a little bit more than just dreams of love and literature. A DDLC Skyrim AU featuring our four favorite dokis plus two OCs.
1. Konbanwa Sayori Yuri!

**This Open-World of Infinite Choices**

 **BOOK ONE - CHAPTER ONE**  
 **Konbanwa Sayori!/Yuri!**

19th of Frostfall

[[City of Riften]]

Soft footsteps scampered over stone, its rhythm matching perfectly with the thief's methodical breathing. With a quick glance of the eye and a bend of a knee in preparation, they easily scaled the outer city wall, taking note of the footholds they had used many times before. The hooded thief found their way to the top of the wall, crouching for balance as the setting sun was falling behind the buildings in the west. They sported a sleeveless dark leather vest with matching boots and gauntlets, its chainmail sleeves underneath shining dimly in reflection to the setting sun.

 _I'll have her head if she's late again…_

The thought passed briefly through the thief's consciousness as they carefully ran across the thin railing before jumping towards a protruding tree's branch that was outside the city's limits. Upon impact, their arms grabbed onto the wood before pulling themselves onto the tree limb.

"Still can't make that jump, Ryoba?"

The voice came from the base of the tree. The thief groaned and made their way down the tree's trunk. When they landed on the ground with a soft thud, almost cat-like, the thief found a Bosmer with red hair just short of her shoulders snickering to herself. She wore a red bandana to help keep her hair up and was dressed in leather armor in traditional Bosmeri design. Across one shoulder was a hunting bow and over the other was a sack, which the thief discerned as a rabbit or fox she had caught today.

"I almost wish you were late now, Sayori." Ryoba replied sarcastically. They pulled off their hood, revealing their greyed face to the other elf. Tying the longer hair into a lazy ponytail to reveal the designed undercut beneath, Ryoba sighed at Sayori's light-hearted teasing. There was a time when the Dunmer thief was better at parkouring than their Bosmeri friend; however, over the years, the previously clumsy hunter learned to keep up and even surpass Ryoba's own agility.

"But… I'll still have your head for that remark."

"Wha-!"

Before the Bosmer could react, the Dunmer disappeared momentarily and felt a force wrap around her neck. She immediately dropped her sack and struggled against the force, bringing her hands up to what would be an arm wrapping around her throat.

"Mercy, mercy! Ryoba!"

Sayori heard a few laughs coming from the space behind her at her choked pleas and the grasp-like force around her neck loosened. The dark elf reappeared behind her, patting the shorter elf's head lightly.

"Come on, you know I'm only playing," Ryoba laughed. This time it was Sayori's turn to pout. She turned her back to the Dunmer, picked up her sack, and went off following the edge of the city wall.

"Meanie." Sayori called over her shoulder with a whine.

 _They just had to be born under the Shadow sign_ , she complained to herself. Ryoba always used that invisibility blessing of theirs to mess with her.

"What were you expecting?" Ryoba quickly caught up, keeping pace beside Sayori. "Did you want someone uncaring and unenthusiastic? Cause I can be that way too if you want."

The Bosmer shook her head. "No, I prefer this side of you compared to… well when you were mourning about that."

Sayori heard a hum that she could only recognize as Ryoba agreeing with her. The two held a strange silence as they walked along the edge of the city. In the distance, dim lights began to peek up on the horizon as they came closer to their night time destination: Daggercross Alley.

Shady merchants, illicit fences, couriers, rogues… Daggercross Alley was swamp of cold criminals. No guards; No law; No guild's rule. It was a sanctuary for the likes of Ryoba and Sayori. The two childhood friends grew up together in the slums outside of Riften. Sayori was lucky to have a father that taught her to hunt before he succumbed to bone break fever. Ryoba, however, had no such guidance and fell into a life of thievery and alchemy. With their combined efforts, they were able to find an apartment within Riften's walls, which proved to be much safer to live in despite the high city taxes. The two elves still spent most of their time outside the main city's walls, climbing the southeast corner of Riften where guards turned a blind eye to due to the closed down gate, and thus avoided having to pay the gate crossing fee. They sold their wares to those who were in most need of them. Sayori prioritized her meats and furs to the starving and freezing citizens; Ryoba dealt their self-made concoctions to the sick and other smuggled goods imported from Morrowind and Cyrodil to fences that offered the best price.

"Meet under the giant barrel tent later?" Ryoba broke the silence.

Sayori smiled and nodded to her Dunmeri companion as a reply and ran off like an overactive child to conduct her business. The other chuckled to themselves and walked on, stopping in front of a stall ran by an Argonian.

Ocheeya smiled softly, easily recognizing one of her usual patrons. "Ah, the Dark Practitioner returns again. What ailment are you curing tonight?"

Frowning slightly at the mention of their black market persona, Ryoba eyes the display case to the left of the stall. "Traveling to see a close friend soon. Just getting some of my personal herbs. Oh, and if you have mugwort seeds, too. I'm running low on supply."

Ocheeya squatted under her stall in search of the ingredients. "I'm afraid we don't have any scathecraw tonight, DP, but I do have the marshmerrow and mugwort seeds if you still want them."

Ryoba reached for their coin purse. "I suppose that's fine. I'll probably have enough until I get back."

The two exchanged wares. "It's always a pleasure conducting business with you, DP. I'll be sure to set aside some scathecraw for when you return."

Ryoba gave waved behind them in thanks as they walked on to finish their other errand. The Dunmer stopped at the edge of Daggercross alley. They looked around momentarily and then leaned against a wall to wait for their contact. Another body slumped next to them shortly after, holding out a bottle in front of Ryoba's vision.

"Juniper mead from Helgen. It's been a rarity since the dragons' return."

The drug dealer shifted their eyes to the side, where a familiar Bosmeri grin greeted them.

"I wouldn't suppose you sold all of tonight's profit on that bottle, Sayori," Ryoba condemned as they crossed their arms, "you know we're heading to Whiterun soon."

Sayori took another swig of the mead, followed by a bite of a sweetroll that she held in her other hand. She spoke with her mouth half full, "I know. But you know the guy that brews these things also didn't survive the attack." She taunted the bottle in front of the Dunmer's face as she swallowed her food, "annnnd, I know how much you like craft mead."

Ryoba's eye twitched, trying to avoid the temptation and keep an eye out for their contact, but patience would not be kind to them tonight. Attempting to swipe the bottle, Sayori quickly stepped back and chugged the remaining liquid.

"SAYO-"

"Huh, excuse me?" A man cut in, causing Ryoba to freeze. The dark elf had almost burst into flames had it not been for the intrusion. Ryoba straightened themselves out as they regained their composure, and approached the man. He seemed to be a lean Nord- fitting for a courier.

"You're Ryoba? Yes?" The man asked timidly, almost shriveling up as Ryoba approached despite being taller than the dark elf.

"Present. You have my letter?" Ryoba answered with a serious monotone voice, all emotion that had been present when conversing with the Bosmer leaving their speech patterns.

The courier nodded, reaching into their pack to retrieve a rolled up parchment. After presenting the letter with a shaky hand, Ryoba pulled out a small coin purse from one of the pockets on their bandolier and tossed it to the courier. "For your troubles."

The courier said his thanks and went off, wanting to leave the sketchy area as soon as possible. Ryoba and Sayori turned and returned to the safety of Daggercross Alley. Ryoba unrolled the parchment reading its contents.

"So this friend we're meeting," Sayori began as they weaved between people, "who is he again? Someone you met during your days traveling with that Khajiit caravan right?"

Ryoba hummed in response. Sayori was about to ask another question but Ryoba abruptly stopped.

"Huh?" Sayori turned around after realizing the Dunmer was no longer walking beside her. "Hey, what's up?"

"Oh?" Ryoba broke their focus from the parchment. "Oh, nothing. I was trying to read this line but I also listening to you and walking, so I ended up reading the same line over like four times."

Sayori chuckled. Sometimes she thought Ryoba was more aloof than she was at times. "So? What does it say?"

Placing the parchment into their bandolier, Ryoba caught up with Sayori again and the two walked on. "Taiga wants to meet at Kalixa's Ciderhouse outside of Whiterun in two days time. He's already left Markarth, but is probably in Solitude by now to claim a bounty he completed recently. We can be there on time if we leave tomorrow morning."

"Ooo," Sayori commented in awe, "this is the bounty hunter friend right?"

"Yup." Ryoba punched Sayori lightly in the shoulder. "Also, if you wake up early tomorrow, maybe we can get to Whiterun early enough for us to stop by the Drunken Huntsman before meeting up with him."

The hunter's eyes perked up. "Really! Oh, I wonder if they'll have some new specialized arrows for me to try out." Ryoba could swear Sayori's eyes were glowing in excitement, "or that seasonal smoked venison we had the last time we were there! It's still early winter, they might still have some if we hurry!"

Ryoba chuckled as they stopped at the base of the tree they climbed to get over the city wall. "Sure sure. But, you have to wake up early. No groaning or we might miss the morning carriage to Ivarstead."

"Deal!"

With her remark, Sayori effortlessly climbed the large tree and cleared the jump onto the city wall, causing Ryoba to groan again in jealous annoyance.

~~~[DDLC]~~~

[[City of Solitude]]

Taiga let out a sigh of relief as he entered the Winking Skeever. He had had a particularly long day, waking up before the break of dawn to leave Markarth so he could reach Solitude before the shops closed. He had several blacksmith orders he had to deliver to the Solitude docks before the trade ships left the next morning.

 _Should have left yesterday and just spent the night in Dragon's Bridge instead of rushing_ , the Nord thought to himself as he took a seat at the bar. A stocky Imperial came up to Taiga from the other side of the bar.

"Anything I can get you, sir?"

Taiga pulled a few coins out of his pocket. "Just a tankard of mead and a room for the night."

The barkeeper nodded, grabbing a clean tankard from under the bar and filling it with mead from one of the barrels on the opposite counter. Taiga set his payment on the counter as he idly looked around the establishment. It had been awhile since his last visit to Solitude, and while he was currently there on business, he did hope that he could one day visit the city for leisure. There was a lot of the city he was not able to enjoy due to his occupation.

In the corner of his eye, he noticed a man sitting in the opposite corner of the tavern that Taiga knew was his contact for the night. The two held eye contact momentarily.

"When you're ready to turn in, just tell me and I'll show you to your room."

Taiga turned back to the barkeeper, who had just set his mead in front of the prior. Taiga nodded in thanks, grabbing the tankard and making his way to where the man was sitting. The Nord mercenary took the seat opposite of the shady man.

"Ulfbyr and his gang are no more." Taiga spoke with a grave tone, keeping a hand on his tankard.

"Splendid." The man smiled slightly, though it did not match the seriousness in his tone of voice. He then revealed a sack from his lap, the sound of metal clanking against each other as it was set on the table. "This is the amount we agreed upon."

Taiga took a swig of his drink as he eyed the sack. With his free hand, he took the sack and placed it in his pocket. "It's been a pleasure."

With their business completed, the other man wordlessly took his leave, thus leaving Taiga alone at the table in the corner. He later ordered a venison stew to warm up. With all his errands done, Taiga was hoping just to relax for the rest of the night before traveling to Whiterun the following day when a woman came up to his table.

Taiga raised his eyebrow as she approached. The woman had dark hair- black but could be argued to have purple hues in certain lighting- with fairer skin than most Imperials he'd previously come across. She seemed to be dressed in ornate purple robes with silver embroidered trim. The Nord couldn't lie that she was beautiful, but her presence struck him as odd. For one, she seemed to be timid in approaching him, almost as if she was nervous in engaging in interaction. Despite her demeanor, she seemed to be of a higher class, though based on her garbs was probably not part of the Bard's College.

Maybe from the palace? Taiga inquired to himself. The woman stood before him, seeming to find her words. Taiga felt the awkwardness in the air and initiated the conversation.

"Need something, ma'am?"

His words seemed to startle the woman from her thoughts, as Taiga saw her jump at his voice.

"Oh… um, I'm sorry... I'm sorry to have bothered you, but…"

She continued to stumble with her words, looking at any direction other than straight at the Nord and fiddling with her long dark hair. Taiga finished the remainder of his stew, placing the empty bowl at the edge of the table as he waited for the woman to speak her business with him.

"You're… You are a mercenary, yes? Work for hire?"

Taiga chuckled, "Yes."

It was not like he was trying to hide himself. He was, after all, a built Nord with shoulder-length dark brown hair that desperately needed to be washed and combed. In addition, he was dressed in dark chainmail-reinforced leather armor equipping a fairly large sword that was currently slung across his back. The whole ensemble shouted "mercenary" from a mile away.

"Do you have business to be conducted with me?"

He could tell this woman was not familiar at handling these sorts on negotiations as she nodded nervously. He motioned to an empty seat at the table he was sitting at.

"Come. Take a seat. We can speak of the details over a drink."

As the woman awkwardly took her seat, looking down towards the hands in her lap, Taiga called over a tavern maid to get them another round of mead. When the drinks were placed on the table, the woman was startled again, and fumbled with her robes to look for payment.

"This one's on me." Taiga responded as he gave a waving gesture to signify that it was no big deal to him. After all, he did just get paid. "So, what kind of work are you looking to hire me for?"

"Um, well," the Imperial began, but then stopped herself. "I never introduced myself. I'm sorry…"

She took a drink of the mead before her and then took a deep breath to calm herself. "My name is Yuri. I am technically a scholar, but am not currently affiliated with a particular court or college. Most of my research is done independently. I'm not sure if you're familiar with the Seaside Library that is on the coast north of Solitude, but… Ah! I'm rambling. Let me get back on track."

Taiga could see the intellect behind the girls words, but their social skills were clearly lacking.

 _She seems to be the type that enjoys the company of books rather than people_ , Taiga pondered as he watched Yuri recollect herself. He was no doubt amused by her mannerisms, but he also wanted her to get to the point of their confrontation.

"I… ugh… well, I'm looking to travel to Whiterun, as a new library is being opened in their hold. Um, the Blackwall Library, I believe. And... well, um, I require an escort. With the war and the return of the dragons, it has become much more dangerous to traverse outside of the holds' cities. I'm just unsure about making the travel on my own."

Taiga nodded in agreement. "I see. Well, Yuri, you happen to be in luck. I'm heading to Whiterun myself in the morning. I'd be more than happy to accompany you."

Yuri smiled softly at his acceptance of her offer and breathed a sigh of relief. "Great! We can leave in the morning then. Um…" She paused for a moment, withdrawing into her own thoughts again for a moment. "How much… er- what would the payment be for your services?"

The mercenary idly scratched his chin in thought, running his fingers through the 5 o'clock shadow stubble that was regrowing on his face.

"For you? hmm..."

He was already on his way to Whiterun, so having company for simply commuting together wouldn't really be worth anything outrageous unless they were ambushed. And it didn't seem like she was targeted by external parties, unless she was withholding information from him.

He placed his hand back on the tankard and took another drink. "What about this? Since I'm planning to go to Whiterun regardless, I'll hold off asking for payment until we get there. If it all goes smoothly, just treat me for my lodging while I'm there and share another drink before we part ways."

Yuri was surprised. Surely hiring a mercenary was an intimidating matter for her, but she did not expect the interaction to be so… casual. She internally cursed herself for blowing up the situation in her head. She looked awkwardly to the candle flickering on the table they were seated at.

"Um… that should suffice."

Taiga smiled and offered out his hand, "Taiga, by the way."

Yuri stared at the hand then back at Taiga and then back at the hand again for a while longer. She closed her eyes briefly and took another deep breath. When her eyes reopened, she smiled genuinely and shook Taiga's outstretched hand with a confidence she had not previously exhibited.

"Then it seems we have a contract, Taiga."

* * *

 **A/N:** Eyo folks! Guess who's back from academia hell! So, lately I've been kinda obsessed with this game and wanted to write a little AU on it in a game I'm also pretty obsessed with. I hope my title pun got through to you guys (Skyrim is an open-world game… eh? Like the lyric… no? Okay… I'll show myself out, I know where the door is).

Hopefully, I can keep most of the character's personalities intact despite throwing them into a different setting. I've played through the game a lot by now and consume way too much about this fandom. Plus, Monika did mention in one of the DDLC secrets how the doki's have had "experiences in different worlds." (That's literally my excuse for making this AU…)

If you haven't figured out, Taiga and Ryoba are OCs that will be our "MC" personas, in a sense. I didn't really like how DDLC's MC was written so I'll be writing these two pretty differently. And don't worry, Monika and Natsuki will be introduced in the next chapter.

Also in terms of Skyrim, I will be making a lot of references to mods I've used in the past, so don't be surprised if things different from the vanilla game show up.

This fic will be going into some dark shit and some romantic shit, so hold onto your horses (cause they'll run at any sign of combat :p).

I'll go more into the characters' combat styles in later chapters, but here's some information on the armor mods I used as inspiration for the characters' armors:

Ryoba - Rough Leather Armor  
Sayori - Bosmer Armor Pack  
Taiga - Nights Watch Armor  
Yuri - DreamBurrows Regal Assassin Armor

Don't forget to comment, I'm always looking for constructive criticism! Until then, see you guys in the next chapter!


	2. Flames of Freedom

**This Open-World of Infinite Choices**

 **BOOK ONE - CHAPTER TWO  
Flames of Freedom**

20th of Frostfall

[[City of Riften]]

The crate Ryoba was sitting on creaked softly as they adjusted their seating position. The wooden box was stationed outside the small apartment they shared with Sayori. The early morning sun had only began to creep above the rooftops of the eastern buildings, the sunlight getting into their eyes as they read an alchemical journal they had recently purchased from the library north of Riften, The Lettered Skeever. As the sun continued its daily ascent, Ryoba bookmarked their place before standing from their perch. Blowing out the lantern that they had used as a reading light, they silently entered their abode.

Ryoba and Sayori's dwelling- a place the two liked to call the Backstreet Den due to its size and location- was nothing lavish. In fact, it was far from being so; and yet, was a large improvement from the shack they had lived in during their childhood. It was a single room made up of stone walls. To Ryoba's immediate left was a bookshelf where most of their personal belongings were stored. Books and alchemical ingredients primarily lined the shelves, as well as the pack they would be bringing along on their journey to Whiterun. In the far corner next to the bookshelf was their alchemy station. A small amount of space was freed up in the back end of the small room where Ryoba would lay out their bedroll. The small apartment could only fit one bed, which Sayori was currently fast asleep on.

Ryoba slipped the book they had been reading into the pack before opening a small box on the shelf above it. Inside it were several vials filled with a semi-transparent teal liquid. They took one of the vials out before closing the lid and grabbing the box. They took the box to Sayori's pack that sitting on a chest stationed above the head of the bed and stuffed it inside. Following the task, Ryoba turned to the sleeping Bosmer and shook them softly with their free hand to wake her.

"Rise and shine. We gotta hit the road."

An annoyed groan came from the Bosmer. Refusing to wake, she turned their back to the Dunmer. Ryoba sighed to themselves and shook a bit harder.

"Come on Sayori, you said yesterday you'd get up."

"Nnnnnrrrrggggggg," Sayori groaned again, curling herself into a ball.

Ryoba rubbed their temples. They were too tired to deal with this today, especially this early in the morning. Had it been any other day, they would be okay with Sayori sleeping in, but they had to travel today.

"I'll buy you a snowberry crostata for breakfast if you get up."

Sayori flipped over to her other side to face Ryoba, still snuggling the fur blankets close to her body.

"It's too early," Sayori yawned, "Can't we just take the afternoon carriage to Ivarstead?"

"You'll feel better after you take your medication," Ryoba reasoned before yawning themselves, "I promise, you always do."

"But it burns~" Sayori whined as she sat up. It was only then that she realized how tired Ryoba looked.

"Hey… Ryoba," Sayori spoke, her tone becoming more concerned. "Did you not sleep again last night?"

Ryoba glanced at Sayori before handing her the vial in their hands. Avoiding the question, they stood up and grabbed Sayori's pack, placing it on the bed next to her.

"I'll sleep on the carriage there," Ryoba spoke with apathy. "Take your medication. I'll buy us breakfast while you get ready."

Ryoba left their dwelling, leaving Sayori to mentally prepare for the taste of her daily medication. She always did feel uplifted after taking her antidepressants- a serum Ryoba had worked on perfecting after months of research and experimentation- but the taste was absolutely vile, especially after learning what went in it. Elves ear and a polished wolf eye would never compliment each other, even if there was juniper and moon sugar mixed in. Sayori was certain of that.

She washed out the sour taste with some leftover water in her waterskin and got up to slip into her armor. Opening the chest next to her bed, she found the leather armor there just as she had left it the night before. After putting the armor on, she fell back into bed and fought the urge to fall asleep again. It would be so easy to lose consciousness and let time pass her by. At least she didn't feel so helpless when she was asleep. She could avoid the lifestyle she had, having to struggle day in and day out just to get enough coin to keep herself alive. Why was it so expensive just to stay alive? Having to pay for food, for the Backstreet Den, for Riften taxes. It'd be easier just to die.

But, she couldn't really do that either. If she were to let herself die, then she would be leaving Ryoba to suffer alone. Knowing how long they've struggled together for years in Riften's harsh economic system, she couldn't just do that to her closest friend. No, not just a friend. They were family.

After Ryoba's parents were killed by the Thieves' Guild, it was her father that took them in. They grew up together almost as siblings would. Ryoba would always be there to get Sayori out of binds when she was training to be a huntress. They even came up with a medicine to help her cope with the depression she struggled with daily. It was something Sayori was eternally grateful for, though the Bosmer wished that she could help Ryoba in return. They had always just blown their issues off and simply say that her company was more than enough; that having someone they cared about be there with them no matter what hardships were to be faced was enough help for them. Sayori hoped to fulfill this to the best of her ability. She always put on a happy face for the two of them to help lighten the situation. Perhaps, despite all the suffering they went through, the fact they could still enjoy certain moments that made it worth the hardship.

Sayori heard the door open and close. Though faint, she picked up on the alluring smell of the freshly baked pastry that had been brought to her. She grinned and popped up to a sitting position to meet Ryoba's gaze. They chuckled a bit at her sudden movement.

"And here I thought you fell asleep on me."

They set down the wrapped crostata on the small table pressed up against the foot of Sayori's bed. The wood elf scooted to the edge of the bed while Ryoba took their seat on the single chair on the opposite side of the table.

"I brought some herbal tea as well, if you'd like some."

Sayori had already bitten into her crostata, nodding furiously in glee as she kept the pastry in her mouth. Ryoba poured two metal cups with the hot tea before unwrapping their own breakfast: a simple loaf of bread. The two continued their breakfast together, conversing about their itinerary for the next few days as they finished off the rest of the herbal tea. After the meal, the two donned their packs and set out to the stables to catch the morning carriage to Ivarstead.

[[City of Solitude]]

Taiga was adjusting the saddle to his steed as Yuri came up to meet him. The two had agreed to meet at the stables that morning, hoping to reach Rorikstead by nightfall.

The large Nord nodded in greeting to the scholar before him, "Good morning. I hope you slept well?"

Yuri nodded slightly, but upon noticing that Taiga did not see her nonverbal response, cleared her throat before speaking.

"Um, yes. It will be the last time I will be in the luxury of my own home for quite some time. Strange, how only now I took so much notice to the luxuries I have so often taken for granted."

Taiga chuckled as he tied his pack to one of the sides of the harness, "Indeed, but I'm sure you'll enjoy Whiterun as well. It's good to see new things, go new places. It's good that you're traveling at least once in your life."

This time Taiga noticed Yuri's timid nod. She was still reserved to him, even if they were simply traveling together under an escort contract. It was his hope to at least help her open up; such a shy attitude could easily be taken advantage of by brigands and other filthy ilk. Opening a sack he had attached to his belt, he pulled out an apple and approached the Imperial.

"Here," Taiga held out the apple towards the dark-haired woman, "Maybe you can feed Aedan a snack before we leave. It'll get him used to you, though he can get easily startled."

Yuri stared at the apple in Taiga's hand before glancing over to the horse behind him. Aedan was sniffing the ground at his feet, his dark brown mane fluttering in the slight wind coming from the docks. She was apprehensive, but took the apple nonetheless and approached the horse slowly. She was both afraid for herself as well as for accidentally frightening the animal. As she drew closer, Aedan picked his head up, noticing the apple in Yuri's outstretched hand. He curiously sniffed at the fruit before taking it with his teeth. Yuri jumped back slightly as the apple was pulled out of her hand. She heard a chuckle behind her.

"We'll work on it," Taiga laughed. "But it's good that Aedan wasn't startled. It's a good start."

"Right…"

After Taiga attached Yuri's pack to the opposite side of the saddle, they decided it was a good time to head out. Easily mounting the horse, Taiga helped Yuri get situated behind him. The journey to Rorikstead was mostly a quiet one. Taiga was preoccupied with steering Aedan in the right direction while Yuri was taking in the new scenery. It was not so much as awkward, but rather the silence between them got rather boring after an hour or two of traveling on the open road. They made a quick stop in Dragon's Bridge for lunch but was quick to get back on the road if they wanted to reach Rorikstead by nightfall.

"You don't talk much do you?" Taiga pointed out at some point along their journey, "I mean, even at lunch, you just had your face in a book the whole time."

He felt Yuri fidget behind him as she became tense at the sudden interaction.

"Er… not usually no. I apologize if it seemed as if I was ignoring you."

Taiga chuckled, "No harm done. Guess it makes sense for a scholar type. So, are you originally from Solitude?"

"Yes, born and raised within the city." Yuri was still a bit uncomfortable with socializing, but perhaps the small talk would help pass the time easier as they went along their way. "It's the first time I've traveled outside of the hold. With everything I need being available where I lived, I found no reason to leave."

Taiga hummed in response. "You're missing out on quite a lot. In my line of work, you get around quite a bit. Every hold has something unique to offer. For example, Whiterun has its plains; Falkreath and the Rift with their forests; the Pale and Winterhold with their snow capped hills. There are a few Dwemer ruins there as well. I'd reckon you'd like to get your hands on one of those automatons."

"Me?" Yuri replied in shock. "No no, I'd rather not."

As a nervous tick, she began fiddling with one of the longer strands of her hair with one hand. "Reading about Dwemer technology is indeed interesting, though I doubt it'd be something I'd like to encounter in person."

"Well, it's not like I'd let you go in alone," Taiga reassured. "Clearly, you don't look like you can handle a combat situation on your own… despite owning a rather impressive dagger collection."

Yuri almost physically recoiled in shock and had to find her balance on the horse. Taiga laughed to himself, but slowed the horse down to a slower walk before checking on Yuri.

"I caught a glance of one of them when you were peeling an apple during lunch," he pointed out. "Didn't really expect someone like you to own such high quality blades."

"It's… more of a hobby, really," the Imperial tried to explain, the embarrassment clearly shining through in her voice. She noticed the nervous quiver herself and took a deep breath to calm down. Her following statements rolled off her tongue with more confidence as if she was speaking of something she was truly passionate about. "The craftsmanship that goes into fine weaponry is… well, alluring, to say the least. The amount of effort that goes into an ornate blade is truly a work of art, even if it was designed with the idea of slaughter in mind. My skill set… it's not the most optimal with fighting head on. If anything, I would prefer to avoid it if I can."

"That's fine," Taiga replied. "After all, you did hire me to take care of any fighting we may encounter on our way."

"Though I do hope we won't have to deal with any such encounter on our journey."

"That would be ideal. But in the meantime…" Taiga pulled out his utility dagger attached to his hip and gave it to Yuri to look over. "Tell me what you think of this one."

Yuri took the blade in her hand. At first glance, the blade was simply designed to be used as an utility blade. Though it could be used in combat, it was obvious that this was not a weapon that would be brandished at the beginning of a fight. Yuri, however, was more attuned to the finer details retaining the blade. Great care was taken into sharpening the blade itself and could slice through skin as if it were paper. It's handle was wooden, but had been stained and polished to a glossy finish.

"It's a very well-made dagger, clearly custom-made. Many blades today are made for the sake of having enough metal to arm soldiers for the war, but this was very clearly smithed with presentation in mind. You keep it very good condition as well."

"I take a lot of pride in your comment," Taiga answered over his shoulder. "After all, The dagger was made by yours truly."

Yuri gasped in awe. "You mean to say, you smithed this yourself?"

"It's just a side job every now and again. Got a lot of tips from many different blacksmiths I've encountered in my journeys. Though, these days it's easier to get pay wielding a blade than it is smithing one."

"I see."

Yuri handed the blade back to Taiga. They continued again in silence before Taiga noticed smoke rising in the distance. As he commanded Aedan into a faster gallop, Yuri became concerned as she also took note of the smoke on the horizon.

"We need to hurry, I think there's a farm up that way. Hopefully it's not another dragon attack."

"Wouldn't we have heard the roars?" Yuri tried to reason, the fear starting to boil up inside her. "Or seen it flying around?"

"Maybe, but we should check to see what happened regardless."

[[Town of Ivarstead]]

"Ryoba, you butt. Get up!"

Sayori was furiously shaking Ryoba's unconscious body, which was laying on the floor of the carriage. A loud annoyed groan came from the dark elf as they pulled their hood further down to cover their face from the sun.

"The carriage driver wants to leave!"

"Fine, fine. Stop your yelling, Sayori." Ryoba yawned as the struggled to get up and slipped as they climbed down the carriage. "It's too early to be yelling."

"It's late afternoon! You were the one that wanted to leave early to get to Ivarstead."

The Dunmer rogue stretched out, their back cracking as they worked the kinks out of their body. "You're right, you're right. I wanted to try some of the town's special brew before we headed to Whiterun."

Sayori pouted, "You woke me up early this morning so you could drink some craft beer in Ivarstead?!"

Ryoba shrugged in response, "What else did you expect from me? It's a wheat wine ale that I've wanted to try for some time."

The two elves made their way into the inn. A few patrons were already sitting around the fire and listening to a Breton play the lute. Sayori took a seat near the fire to listen to her play while Ryoba made their way to the bar.

"What will if be for you?" The bartender asked as Ryoba took a seat at the counter.

"Ivarstead Special."

"So you've heard of our secret brew. Usually only the locals know about it."

"I have a lot of connections." Ryoba said plainly as they tossed the payment on the counter.

"Well, as long as you don't go around spilling our secret all across Skyrim. We only make a small batch at a time."

"Not everyone in Skyrim has the taste to appreciate artisan alcohol." Ryoba reasoned, reminding themselves of all the mindless drunks they've had to interact with on previous heists. This, however, was no heist. Just a honest quest to enjoy some good brew.

The bartender laughed happily, "One Ivarstead Special coming up then."

When Ryoba received their drink, they moved to a table closer to where Sayori was, who was still happily enjoying the company of the bard. Sayori was always the more social of the two, so the Dunmer wasn't surprised that their Bosmeri companion would easily befriend others. Another man sat across from Ryoba and offered to play cards with him. Not being able to refuse the bet, Ryoba accepted. It went on for a few rounds, but after a several tankards of beer on the other man's end, Ryoba easily took advantage of his inebriation to coax higher bets out of him.

Sayori had been talking to this bard all afternoon. She found out that her name was Monika, and while she longed to leave Ivarstead to travel Skyrim, she never had the money or strength to do so on her own. She occasionally visited The Lettered Skeever as well, much like Sayori and Ryoba; it seemed that the library was also a haven for her as the monotony of real life became overwhelming. Sayori was ecstatic about her new friend and wanted her to meet Ryoba.

"You should travel with us, Monika!" Sayori burst out in glee, "We're going to Whiterun tomorrow to meet up with one of Ryoba's old friends and I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you tagged along."

"Well, I wouldn't want to impose," Monika replied modestly. "Though, it would be fun to actually visit one of the major cities. Are you sure they wouldn't mind?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out!"

"You cheating elf!" A booming voice screamed behind the two of them, causing the two to turn their heads. "There's no way you could have won that hand with a pig!"

The Dunmer replied with a sly grin, "Well, you're the one that folded at the last second. It was all on you."

Sayori glanced at Monika with a worried face. Monika wanted to intervene, but a part of her wanted to see how the situation would play out. Instead, she reassured the other elf. "If it gets too hairy, we'll step in. But, I think you friend's got a handle of the situation."

The two looked back to the situation. Both Ryoba and the drunk Nord were on their feet; the Nord initiating the first punch. Ryoba was able to dodge it by taking a step back and was trying to avoid attacking back or else the situation would escalate even more.

"What? Won't even engage me in a proper fight?" The drunk taunted as they staggered forward, sizing up the shorter elf. Ryoba simply stood their ground, though Sayori knew under their straight face was boiling anger.

"You dark elves are all like that. Devious, sneaking thieves only out for other people's coin!"

Without warning, the Nord shoved Ryoba across the tavern, where they stumbled over one of the chairs which had a book resting on it. As the seat toppled over, the book was thrown into the fire.

"Ah!" Monika suddenly yelled out, "my songbook!"

Sayori instantly noticed a personality shift in Monika as she became infuriated. Monica stomped over to the drunken man and pushed him back with all her strength. He staggered a bit and was a caught off guard by the interruption.

"What's your problem, Heiik?! You're always coming here getting drunk off your ass, challenging outsiders to cards; but, the moment you get one up'd by them you put the blame on them! Nobody here's falling for your games, Heiik!"

As Monika was busy scolding Heiik, Sayori ran over to Ryoba to make sure they were alright.

"You just let him shove you around?" Sayori asked as Ryoba sat up, cradling their head as a light headache started coming on.

"It's about picking your fights. And he lost that hand on his own."

"You better hold that silver tongue of yours before someone finds out and cuts it off."

"Aww, but Sayori," Ryoba playfully moped, "then I wouldn't be able to taste mead anymore."

The wood elf laughed, punching the other elf lightly on the shoulder, glad they were alright. "If it's not the coyness that kills you, it'll be the alcohol."

"Not the worst way to go."

"Um, excuse me," Monika interrupted as she came up to the pair of elves. "Sorry about that. Are you alright?"

"Dandy," Ryoba answered as they got back on your feet. "You definitely put that guy in his place."

"Nothing a calming spell couldn't handle," Monika explained, "But, I did give him a piece of my mind beforehand."

Sayori hummed and motioned towards the fire, "Sorry about your book."

Monika frowned in disappointment, "That was nearly a month's savings to buy that book."

"Urm-" Ryoba cut in, "I could buy you a new one in Whiterun. It was, well, partially my fault."

Sayori and Monika both smiled. The Bosmer grabbed onto Monika's arm and began to jump in excitement, "Oh, Monika, you should come with us! We can buy you a new songbook and you can finally travel Skyrim like you wanted!"

Monika smiled in embarrassment at Sayori's excitement, but then turned to Ryoba. "Would it be alright with you?"

Ryoba shrugged, "I don't see why not. Besides, Heiik's the one paying for your travels."

They tossed a rather hefty coin purse at Monika, who was stunned at the response. Ryoba chuckled again, "Just think of it as part of my debt to you. It was a waste of a perfectly good book after all."

"You're… a good person, Ryoba," Monika said as they clutched the coin purse.

Ryoba only sighed, "That entirely depends how you look at it, I suppose."

"We're all going to Whiterun!" Sayori cheered, seemingly oblivious to the interaction that had just transpired. "I'm so excited! Monika, you're going to love it! There's this tavern that has this really good seasonal smoked venison that you just have to try while we're there! That is if they still have some when we get there."

Both Ryoba and Monika laughed at the happiness Sayori displayed. Perhaps the extra company wouldn't be so bad for either of them.

[[Whiterun Hold]]

A Strawberry blonde Nord bent over panting as she took a break from pushing the grain mill. Natsuki had been working for the better part of the afternoon and the fatigue was starting to sting her muscles. Though she cursed her father for forcing her to do the more physical of the farm's work, the petite Nord woman secretly hoped that all the effort would help her grow stronger. She wanted to hate her mother for passing on such frail genes; but in truth, she just would have liked to have met the woman. Had she not died in labor while giving birth to Natsuki, perhaps her father wouldn't be such a stick in the mud, drowning himself in mead and releasing his frustrations onto his only child. She could have had a normal life growing up in the wilds Skyrim.

As Natsuki took a swig of water out of her waterskin, she grumbled angrily to herself. She was a grown adult now, and she would have left this forsaken farm if her father did not have an iron clutch on her life. Rorikstead was less than a half day's travel, and Whiterun was not far off either.

Her thoughts were cut short when she heard what sounded like magic being casted not far off, the smell of burning quickly reaching the mill. Eyes widening, Natsuki ran out of the grain mill to find that the northern field of crops were lit on fire. Cursing loudly to herself, Natsuki ran to the water pump to fill a bucket of water, hoping that maybe it would help douse the flames. The fire was spreading much too quickly and Natsuki realized her plan would not work on her own. She needed help. She ran to the house to get her father, the only person that would be in the vicinity. As she ran past the chicken coups, she caught a glimpse of a man standing above the corpses of the freshly slain poultry. Anger filled Natsuki's mind believing this was the man that set the crops on fire, and threw the bucket in her hands at the man. However, her throw was short and the bucket simply rolled on the ground in front of the man. He wore a horned helmet and standard iron armor commonly seen throughout Skyrim. It would be hard to distinguish who the culprit was if she were to report the crime. The man simply stared back at Natsuki momentarily before looking down at the chickens and began repetitively squatting over one of corpses.

"What in Sheogorath's doing is this?"

Natsuki asked herself in confusion, but concluded that this crazed man was not worth her attention at the moment and ran into the house to get the help of her father. When she got into the living space, she found the old man passed out on a chair facing the fireplace with several bottles of mead scattered at his feet. Natsuki second guessed herself for a moment, thinking it would be better if she handled this on her own rather than facing the angry drunk that was passed out before her. But this was not a one person job, so Natsuki swallowed hard and approached her father.

"Father, a crazy man set fire to our crops!" Natsuki roared as she frantically shook her father, "We need to deal with the fire before it burns the whole farm down."

Natsuki's father pushed the smaller woman away, causing her to stumble against the dinner table and knocking it over. He groaned in annoyance as he struggled to get up from his chair.

"Girl, you have some nerve waking me up. Why do you think I put you in charge of the farm work, you good for nothing child?! Can't you figure things out on your own in that small brain of yours?"

A blinding rage began overtake Natsuki she saw her father's feet stop in front of where she lay. The last thing she would remember was the feeling of her father picking her body up by the collar of her shirt before the rage fully consumed her.

—

Taiga pulled on the reins to pull his horse to a stop in front of a farm. In a heartbeat he jumped off of the steed and ran straight for the burning crops. The flames had spread to most of the farm and even at his level of frost magic, he knew that there would still be significant damage by the end of it. Shooting forth sprays of frost magic from his hands, Taiga began dwindling the flames to a controllable level. Yuri was unsure how to help and instead stood by Aedan in hopes to keep the horse calm as it became increasingly unsettled by the flames.

A loud smash and female scream was heard coming from the house on the land and Yuri shot Taiga a worried glance. The flames by now were dwindling down to smaller embers, so Taiga began running towards the house.

"Continue working the flames while I check the house! There should be a water bucket and pump somewhere on this farm!"

Yuri nodded and quickly tied Aedan to a fence post to keep him from running away in fear before running in search of a water bucket. As Taiga neared the house, he unsheathed his sword and carefully made his way to the door. The Nord warrior took a deep breath to steady himself and proceeded to kick the door down with force. He was stunned at the sight that greeted him. A Nord woman was crying in one of the corners of the house, rocking back and forth as she shook in fear. The corpse of an older Nord man laid in the middle of the floor, his face clearly beaten to a pulp and shards of a broken mead bottle stuck out from his head and torso. The upper half of a bottle was lodged into his stomach. Taiga carefully approached the Nord woman, holding his hand out to denote that he had no intention of hurting her.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

When Taiga knelt next to the crying Nord, he noticed dried blood stains covering her knuckles. Several bruises were starting to darken on her skin, some going over older faded bruises, and her hair was sticking up as if it were forcefully grabbed. She could not stop crying to give him a proper response, but it was clear that the woman was abused by the man. What had transpired must have been an act of self defense. This was no place for them to stay, and it didn't seem that anyone else was on the farmland. Taiga carefully wrapped his arms around the young woman, which caused her to flinch at the contact.

"Don't worry. I'm just going to carry you out. We really shouldn't stay in a place like this. Whatever this man did to you, you're free now and he can't hurt you anymore."

Natsuki was taken back at the words of this stranger, but for some reason the fact slowly settled in and she nodded to show him that it was okay to pick her up. As Taiga carried her out, Natsuki came painfully aware of how sore her body was, but she had no more tears to shed. Her memory was blurry, but she was certain of one thing: she was no longer under her father's grasp.

* * *

 **A/N:** So I'm hoping I can get in monthly updates for this AU. Semester started back up again and I know for a fact I will be swamped with things, but I will do my best to keep this fic rolling. I have a lot already planned for this fic and it would be a shame if I never got around to writing it all.

More Skyrim mods were highlighted in this chapter, and many will be highlighted throughout the writing of this fic. If anyone recognizes any of the mods I reference and/or uses them let me know! Monika and Natsuki have some strange characterization starting out, but I've planned some stuff with them later on in the series, especially Monika!

Don't know if anyone has noticed, but the Dragonborn will be making a few appearances in this fic, but not in the ways you'd expect. ;)

Though I've already planned out the pairings for this fic, what do you guys think will be the pairings? Cast your bets in the review section!

Also shout out to 'The Admiral of the Ships' for being my right hand in making this crossover come to life.


	3. Walls of Whiterun

**This Open-World of Infinite Choices**

 **BOOK ONE - CHAPTER THREE**

 **Walls of Whiterun**

 _20th of Frostfall, late evening_

[Settlement of Rorikstead]

Natsuki awoke slowly to the familiar feeling of dull soreness and tense muscles. Her head was hazy, unable to remember why she had passed out. The easy conclusion was that it was because of her father, but the memory of what had set him off this time was lost to the creaking of her bones as she turned over. No, not bones. Broken bones would be much more painful what she felt now. What she felt was an unfamiliar comfort. The creaking came from the wooden frame of the bed she had been resting on.

With much difficulty, the Nord sat up and opened her eyes. The surrounding room was dark, lit by a single candle set on the table opposite of her. She knew in an instant that she had come back to consciousness in the warmth of fur-lined bedding in a room that was not her own. The clothes she had on were freshly cleaned linens; too baggy for her size, but comfortable enough. Her hands were thinly wrapped in strips of cloth; but aside from that, she sported no other bandages. Perhaps it was the dimness of the room, but she hardly found any visible bruises either, the few that remained had heavily faded. Processing all this mysterious care that she had received was overwhelming to the young woman, but the physical soreness that still resonated throughout her body kept her from outwardly freaking out.

Natsuki struggled to get out of bed, wanting to investigate what recent events had led her here. Opening the door from the bedroom, Natsuki was surprised to find that she was, in fact, in the Frostfruit Inn. Its interior was easily recognizable from the times she had come to Rorikstead to trade produce harvested from the farm; the times she opted to stay the night here in fear of returning to her own home.

Only a few people lingered near the fire and there was a stillness in the air that held no bard's melody. She concluded that she had awoken in the middle of the night. Natsuki saw a blond man turn in her direction before rising from his seat. Wanting to avoid any unnecessary interactions, Natsuki quickly turned her shoulder to the approaching man and took a seat at the bar. She gave an uneasy smile to Erik, who was rearranging tankards behind the counter out of boredom.

Erik smiled warmly in return before reverting his attention back to the tin cups. His familiar face gave Natsuki some comfort, knowing she would soon have to address the presence that was approaching. She felt a nervous shiver run down her spine and took a brief moment to compose herself.

"You've awoken. How are you feeling?"

Natsuki heard the voice just over her shoulder but refused to answer, instead sending a silent plea to Erik for reinforcements. He came over with two tankards of water for them.

"This man came in here earlier with you in his arms. You were unconscious and severely wounded," Erik explained in a hushed tone, attempting not to overwhelm her.

Natsuki slightly blushed at the vision of how she would have been carried by the stranger. She focused her gaze to an opposing corner of the bar before forcing a barely audible 'thank you' to him.

The man took a seat next to Natsuki. He avoided looking at her, instead focusing his gaze to one of the hung rabbits behind Erik.

"We were passing through the area when we took sight of smoke," he began to explain, "The fields were ablaze and the house-" He abruptly stopped and took a breath, "Do you remember what happened?"

She could not. When she shut her eyes to try to visualize the memory, only smokey remnants came to mind.

"There... was a crazy man, he set fire to the crops and violated the chickens even after he had slaughtered them. I remember," Natsuki paused briefly trying to recall what had happened next. "I went to Father for help, but he was drunk and got enraged at my interruption. He..."

A tense silence surrounded them. For Natsuki, the air was heavy and constricted her body. She released a shaky breath, speaking barely above a whisper, "He... I remember him preparing to beat me, but..."

Another silence.

"I don't recall anything after that..." Natsuki finally lamented.

The man hummed, perhaps in response or in thought. Natsuki dropped her face in her hands. She refused to let a stranger see her break down. She caught her breath and regained some of her composure. Willing herself to look at the stranger, she was met with a grave and tired face. He then released a long sigh.

"When I managed to get into the building, I found you shaking in shock. Bloody knuckles, bruises, cuts... injuries on their own would be trivial, but... your father. He beat you regularly in his drunken stupors?"

"For as long as I can remember... He never recovered from my mother's death. I never met her, she died shortly after delivering me."

Natsuki became aware she was delving too much into a past she did not want to remember. So instead, she tried to sway the conversation elsewhere. "Ha, that's a story that doesn't need to be told, I mean we don't even know each other.."

"Taiga." he answered plainly, waiting for her response.

"Natsuki..."

"There, now we do. Erik also told me quite a bit about your history with your father while you were resting," Taiga paused before continuing. "Your father is dead."

The young Nord took in a sharp breath, a cacophony of thoughts and feelings overtaking her mind. Simply put, it was a strange mixture of shock and relief. Natsuki looked into Taiga's eyes, seeing that there was still information he hadn't shared. "There's something more isn't there."

Taiga broke eye contact and nodded. "He was already dead when I got there. Shards of glass lodged in his body, obviously from a broken bottle."

Natsuki was able to piece the evidence together. Her father died by her hand. She felt a sliver of remorse momentarily before clenching the tankard in her hand. "Serves him right."

The nord next to her gave a grave chuckle. "Perhaps it is for the best."

The two of them sat in silence for a moment more, only the soft crackle of the fire could be heard. Death was all too common in the harsh lands of Skyrim, such a regular occurrence that neither of them would spend much mourning. Not that Natsuki wanted to mourn a man that never treated her as a living being in the first place. In their silence, Natsuki remembered a detail that had passed over her before. "You said at the beginning that you weren't alone. Are you traveling with someone?"

Taiga chuckled, her perception amused him. "Yes, a scholar. Technically, it's an escort; but, I suppose travelling together is a much more casual way to say it. And what about you? What will you do now. The farm is in ashes now, will you be returning there?"

Natsuki shook her head, "I'm not going back to that damn farm."

The Nord woman took some time to think of what she would do now. She had always wished to escape her father's grasp, but now that she was no longer restrained by him, she had no idea of which path of life she should travel. "I think… no, I am. I'm going to head to Whiterun. Perhaps I could find work tending to the fields there. I've traveled there once or twice with Father for trade."

Taiga took a swig of his drink. "You know it's dangerous to travel the wilds of Skyrim alone."

"I'm aware," Natsuki responded with a sigh. "But I don't have any other ideas right now, and I would like to put as much distance between myself and that farm as possible."

"You should try Riften, then. Probably the farthest you could get in Skyrim from here," Taiga joked. "I have a friend there. Actually, we're to meet tomorrow in Whiterun. You're welcome to tag along until we reach the city."

Natsuki considered her options. "Perhaps it's for the best."

The older Nord chuckled to himself again. "You're not half bad, kid."

"I'm not a kid!" Natsuki suddenly retorted loudly. Erik shot her a look that read 'guests are sleeping, keep it down' and Natsuki embarrassingly slumped back down into her seat. "I'll have you know this will be my 20th winter."

Taiga tilted his head and gave Natsuki a strange look, as if trying to scan her. He then relaxed and returned his gaze forward. "Could have fooled me," he commented as he drank from his tankard.

"Oh, and what? You're some old weathered warrior?" Natsuki accused back.

Taiga smiled, starting to enjoy her company. "Weathered, perhaps. Not as old as you think though."

The two continued to banter for a little longer. Taiga shared that he worked as a mercenary with a bit of blacksmithing on the side. Natsuki had confessed her desire to be a cook or baker rather than a farmer. She also tried to get more information of the scholar, who was apparently named Yuri. However, Taiga wouldn't divulge any other information, justifying that she could just ask the scholar herself when they met the following morning. The fire died down to soft embers and Erik told the two that he would be turning in as it was unlikely that anymore patrons would stumble into the inn at this hour. The two Nords decided it was best for them to sleep as well, for they were to travel to Whiterun the following day.

 _21st of Frostfall, early afternoon_

[Wilds of East March]

The elves, now along with Monika, had been travelling all morning by carriage. The party had just reached where the road began to follow the river, meaning they were nearing the break of the mountain range heading into Whiterun Hold. Even with their lunch break, they would probably still make it to Whiterun before sunset.

As the carriage driver tended to his horses and inspected his cart, the three travelers sat in the shade enjoying their midday meal. Monika was kind enough to bring along enough food for everybody, lest it rots while she was away traveling. Sayori and Ryoba regarded it a feast, considering they were forced to have strict rations in Riften's economy. Monika had never seen such excitement for food, considering how much she frequented Vilemyr Inn. Sayori had put cabbage, tomato, and cheese between two halves of a bread loaf before taking a bite of her culinary invention. Her explanation was "I want to have everything at the same time!" when asked about her strange eating methods, and the other two could not really argue with that reasoning.

Monika was enjoying the fresh air and new scenery. To her, the world around her was undiscovered and exciting. Sure, she had seen maps at the library when she visited, but cartography could never chart the physical beauty of nature. The breeze felt more refreshing than in Ivarstead; the grass greener, and luscious flora blossomed in every nook and cranny of the countryside.

"Sayori, do you travel a lot?" Monika questioned, hoping to hear tales of the duo's exciting adventures.

"Not as often as Ryoba does," the wood elf answered, her mouth half full. She quickly swallowed before continuing, "But I can say I've at least visited all the holds' capitals at one point or another."

"Wow~" Monika replied in awe, trying to visualize what each hold would be like. "Perhaps one day I will also attempt that."

"Well, you're going to be checking off Whiterun pretty soon!"

The Breton giggled at the short elf's excitement. She was the complete opposite of the dark elf napping at the base of the tree they were sitting under. She had noticed that they had mostly either kept to themselves or was asleep, though not entirely. A reverie perhaps?

Sayori traced Monika's stare to her elvish partner. "Oh, don't mind them. This happens a lot."

"Don't they sleep at night?"

"Eh..." Sayori feigned ignorance, "That's just how they are. Might be a Dunmer thing."

The wood elf broke off another piece of cheese off the wedge and threw it in her mouth. "Anyways... If you've always wanted to travel, why didn't you just leave Ivarstead?"

"I... ugh," the bard looked off into the river near them, watching the calm stream pass by. "I guess I was just afraid to. But hearing you talk about all the places you've gone kind of gave me that final push."

Sayori beamed at the answer, happy that she was able to convince the bard. "Hehe, don't worry, Monika. Traveling is way more fun with friends."

"And I'm guessing safer too?" Monika added.

"Yeah, that too. But mostly the fun. Having company along always makes things better."

The bard smiled warmly. "I do hope so."

Ryoba began to stir, catching the others' attention. They gave out a big yawn and stretch their arms to the air as they awoke from their catnap.

"Wakey wakey," Sayori cooed. "There's a bit more cheese left if you want the last of it."

"No, I'm okay," Ryoba answered, the grogginess still apparent in their voice. "Maybe just some water."

Monika passed a full waterskin over to the rogue. "Perhaps we should get ready to head off again?"

Sayori agreed with a nod while Ryoba gave a thumbs up, currently quenching their thirst. When they finished, they expelled a refreshing 'aah' and got up onto their feet. "If we make it to Whiterun before sundown, I may still make it to Belethor's before it closes."

They turned to face Monika before handing back the waterskin, commenting, "Don't think I've forgotten my debt."

"Er…" Monika voiced uncomfortably, "Maybe not call it a debt? Sounds like you're condemning yourself to me."

"Right, sorry. Force of habit."

"We're all friends here. Right, Ryoba?" Sayori elbowed the Dunmer, trying to coax the rogue into opening up a bit more. "You don't need to keep that whole serious professionalism thing you always do," her voice becoming teasingly deep and intimidating at the words 'serious professionalism thing.'

"I think the word you're looking for is persona, Sayori." Monika added.

Ryoba sighed. "Fine. I'll loosen up." They gently shoved Sayori off, their tone easing up, "And I do not sound like that."

Sayori laughed. Monika, though happy, felt some sort of tear in her emotions. It was good that the elves were easily opening up and accepting her into their company, but she still felt like she was somehow out of place. She swallowed the uncomfortableness of the feeling and smiled at the two elves bantering at each other.

 _21st of Frostfall, early evening_

[Outskirts of the City of Whiterun]

Now that they were a company of three, the travel to Whiterun had taken slightly longer than expected. Aedan would not have enjoyed having three bodies saddled on his back, nor did Taiga attempt such a feat. Rather, they opted to traverse with a carriage heading the same way. Yuri, Natsuki, and a few other travelers sat in the cart while Taiga trotted along side them on horseback. It was during this time that Natsuki was finally able to converse with the scholar that the other Nord had mentioned the night before. It was hard getting anything out of the Imperial, but she was surprised to learn that it was actually Yuri who tended to her injuries.

"Okay, so if you're so adept at healing magic," Natsuki pried. "Why don't you join the College of Winterhold? You can't really be a scholar if you're not associated with any academic organization."

"I… do not find the long travel and cold weather worth it." Yuri explained, "Besides… I make a decent living as a healer's apprentice, and there is a plethora of knowledge to be learned at the Seaside Library. I don't want… to have so much responsibility bestowed upon me."

"But don't you want to be more than what you are now? Taiga said I was pretty bad when you found me. But, you were able to heal all my injuries like it was nothing. Even some of my older bruises have faded more than they have in weeks."

"N-no… I'm fine as I am now."

"Okay, whatever, I guess." Natsuki gave up, the aggravation laced in her voice. "But if I had some sort of skill set like that, I wouldn't waste my talent on mediocrity."

Yuri was about to cut in, her face hinted that she was about to burst in anger, but Taiga managed to intercept the conversation before it flared up again. "Okay now you two. We're not the only ones traveling along this road. Natsuki, I do think that Yuri has a right to live her life the way she pleases. Maybe she just doesn't want to be in the limelight of all those prestigious wizards."

Natsuki pouted, she was certain that he would have backed her up on the matter.

"And Yuri," now giving his attention to the healer, "Natsuki also has a point. I know that intellectually, you always want to expand your knowledge, that much is apparent. But, I think that kind of philosophy could apply to your magic as well."

Yuri fiddled with strands of her hair. "If you explain it like that…"

"Great," Taiga sighed in relief. "Now, can we please take some time to relax? We don't have much farther until we get to Whiterun, I've already seen its walls in the horizon. Then everyone can stretch and relax and maybe get a bite to eat."

Silence, for what seemed to be the first time that entire carriage ride, held awkwardly in the air for the three of them; but for the carriage driver and other travelers, the lack of petty bickering gave their ears a much needed break.

Upon reaching the outer gate of the city, the driver pulled his horses to a stop. While the occupants made their way off the carriage, Taiga was talking to the stable master. He paid a fee to keep Aedan housed there until his was to depart again. Natsuki stared up the white city walls. She had indeed came to Whiterun before, but now as an independent woman, the place felt as if it had a different aura now. One that held opportunities and possibilities that had been inaccessible to her prior to now.

"So...um, what now?" Yuri asked as the three of them walked on towards the main gate.

"I don't know about you two, but I'm rather parched. I'll be heading to the Drunken Huntsman for a while before I have to rendezvous with my friend."

"Isn't that the tavern just across the way from the main gate?" Natsuki inquired, hoping that her memory served her well.

"It is," the older Nord confirmed. "Perhaps a bowl of their venison stew will do the trick."

Yuri took strands of hair into her hair, uncomfortable but she had to bring the question up, "Um… Taiga, ab-about the payment…"

Taiga lifted a brow, "Oh, that. Well… Let's see. I did say you owed me a drink, so how about we head to Kalixa's Ciderhouse later tonight. I have to go there at some point regardless. We'll have our drinks and call it even."

"I don't recall a ciderhouse being established in Whiterun," Natsuki mentioned. Perhaps her memory was failing her.

"Yes, I think it is fairly new," Taiga answered again. "I would recommend it, probably the only one of its kind in Skyrim. Most Nords would prefer mead over cider."

Yuri thought to herself for a moment as they were let though the main gate. She stopped shortly past the bridge, at the foot of the path leading towards the Drunken Huntsman, intently staring off as if she were coming to a conclusion. "I think that would be fine. Though… I think I will head to the store for supplies before it closes."

"Suit yourself," Taiga shrugged.

Natsuki opted to head to the tavern with Taiga. She too wanted to get something to eat. Yuri turned the other way and made her way to the city square. In truth, she simply wanted to get away from the two Nords for a little while. It seemed that the two had bonded quickly in her absence. While she had turned in early for the night, Natsuki had woken up and was excellent company to the mercenary. Perhaps that was also her fault for not being very sociable with them, but she couldn't help but feel like she had been pushed off to the side.

 _Oh what does it even matter, we'll all be heading our separate ways soon enough,_ Yuri thought to herself as she came to the town square. There was a building on her left, a sign hung in front with the words "Belethor's General Goods." She decided that would be the best place for her to be for now. _I may even come across a good book there._

 _21st of Frostfall, nearing sundown_

[Whiterun City Gate]

Ryoba hadn't planned on getting to Whiterun so late in the day. While crossing the mountain pass, the carriage was stopped by some brigands posted alongside the road. They demanded a highway tax, claiming that it was 'compensation for keeping the roads safe,' a phrase the Dunmer heard all too often. Monika almost gave into the ploy, but the elves stopped her and reassured the Breton that the two of them would handle it.

Monika worried that the elves were about to fight the brigands to the death, but was pleasantly surprised at their idea of revenge. A little while later, two brigands were hanging from a tree, tied up by their own trousers; the third roped up against a roadpost and her hair scorched. They would remain there in humiliation until a sympathetic passerby would cut them loose.

The carriage driver slowed his horse to a halt and indicated that they had arrived. Monika took care of climbing down the back, but both elves vaulted over either side of the cart.

"Seems like your little prank got you two energized." Monika pointed out as she tried to catch up with the two elves. "What's the hurry?"

"Smoked venison, Monika!" Sayori nearly shouted in excitement. She grabbed Monika by the arm and pulled her up the slope in haste.

"We'll get the smoked venison, Sayori." Monika denoted as she felt the tug of the energetic Bosmer. She then glanced over to Ryoba, who was also in haste to get into Whiterun. "You know you don't have to get that book right now. Go tomorrow when it opens."

"No can do." Ryoba objected with a determined look, as if they had been employed with a critical task, "I'm not going to risk the off chance of someone else purchasing any available songbooks. Belethor hardly ever maintains the same inventory for long."

"I'll save you some venison!" Sayori mentioned, and the dark elf shook their head in gratitude before quickly taking the path towards the market square.

Monika was about to object, but the Dunmer had run off before she could say anything more. As she watched their retreating figure, she began to realize how big the city actually was. She became mesmerized at the busyness of the place even as the sun was closing in on its final descent towards the western horizon. Street lights were posted along the walkways, and she eyed the man who was lighting each of the lanterns before it got dark. People in Ivarstead were wary to go out at night, fearing the danger lurking in the woods surrounding them; however, she figured that the populace here felt much safer dwelling within city walls.

The Breton was shaken out of her reverie as Sayori grew increasingly insistent on ordering some smoked venison. Monika apologized with an embarrassed smile and allowed herself to be led into the tavern. She caught a glimpse of the sign as Sayori pushed her along the path toward the Drunken Huntsman.

 **A/N:** Sorry for the literal months of not updating. I'm not dead, promise. Rusty, but not dead. Hopefully I can finish the introductory arc by the end of summer, then the good things will start happening. I'd super appreciate it if you liked/commented if you enjoy this series; it's probably the biggest fic I've planned out so I'd love to know how I'm doing.

This wouldn't be DDLC without a little romance, and it will be coming, soon. Very soon.

When I get to the end of the first arc, I'll be sure to give you all profiles of the six characters, just in case you need a little help organizing everyone's abilities and traits and whatnot.

I'm already writing chapter 4, so don't expect to wait too long for another update.


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